Bordelais officials implore public not to make weapons available to inmates

Just days ago a stabbing incident occurred which resulted in inmate Emmerson Dornelly being admitted to the St. Jude Hospital. By Saturday 26th August, 2017 a similar incident occurred where inmate Valence James was reportedly stabbed thirteen times by inmate Michael Pologne. James received attention from the Bordelais Medical Unit and then was transported to Dennery Hospital for treatment.

Both inmates belonged to the Bravo Unit of the facility and were released for their recreational hour when the incident occurred. Inmates involved in the incident were reportedly friends. Inmate Michael Pologne was later moved to the maximum-security unit after stabbing inmate Valence James. After investigation of the incident by the Major Crimes Unit of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Valence James and Michael Pologne decided not to take court action. The weapon used for stabbing is also unidentified.

Adding to the recent chain of events occurring at the Bordelais Correctional Facility is a suicide attempt which occurred on Thursday 31st August, 2017. Inmate Mervin Moise reportedly attracted attention from the corrections officer in his unit by pacing in his cell at around 7:45 a.m. Though prison officials say he was under watch by the officer, at some point that morning Mervin Moise hung himself from a towel inside the cell. Mervin Moise was taken to the medical unit of the facility and then transported to Dennery Hospital. He was later brought to Victoria Hospital for treatment.

The prison continues to assure that they are doing the best they can to foster safety of inmates and staff especially through rehabilitation. BCF claims that in response to the recent incidents, “Measures are employed to provide mental health treatment to patients at the facility to help them recover from their illness, alleviate its painful symptoms, prevent deterioration, and protect from suicide . . . Whatever the situation is, the facility strives to manage it within the confines of the law.”

Inmates practice ingenuity with what is available in their cells to make weapons. But the facility also notes, “Inmates obtain articles through various avenues such as over the perimeter fences, during court attendance and at external medical institutions. We implore the public to refrain from making these items available to the inmates because it defeats our efforts to help them rehabilitate and live better, more productive lives in the future.”